A Little Less than Normal
by jazzybutclassy28
Summary: Instead of a bar 7th Heaven is a retail store which Cloud now works for. This is after the fall of Soldier where he meets Barret and Tifa. Horrible customers, work romances, and just plain fun. Please R & R. Rated T for language. Some might be rough.
1. Nametag

Chapter 1

"Well can't you just check the back?" A frustrated man was complaining at the front counter. An exasperated sigh escaped from the blonde's lips, "Just…one moment please." He turned from the cash register and walked back into the stock room. This was just one of those days. Complaining customers thinking that they will always get their way. He was sick of it but he had no other option. He moved his way back in the wooden lundia to the men's pants.

"Twenty nine by thirty four." The blonde repeated to himself while dragging his finger down the size stickers. It was his luck that they were out of stock. He hit his head with his hand and muttered a 'why me' and made his way out to face the malicious customer. He stepped up behind the counter hoping it would protect him.

"Sir I am sorry but we are out of your size." The customer's face began to turn red

"So you are saying that my size isn't good enough to be in your stock room?" He clinched his fist and fought hard to keep his eyes from rolling.

"I assure you that was not our intention. Perhaps I can interest you in another style of pants that will have your size." He tried to persuade the customer from killing him

"Who is the manager?" The associate gritted his teeth, "Just one moment please."

"Last time you said that I was dissatisfied." He began to scream in his head. He went back to the stock room once again to fetch the manager. A tall muscular black man appeared through the door and walked up to the customer.

"What seems to be the pro'lem?" The customer took in a deep breath

"Well your associate here is being extremely rude and unhelpful. I kindly asked him for a size and he stormed off to the back muttering rude things under his breath. Then he had the audacity to snap at me when he said it was out of stock. I asked kindly when there would be a shipment but he laughed at me and that is when I asked to speak with you." The look on the black man's face was priceless.

"Looky 'ere. First off you don't hafta lie to my face. Second of all if we don't have it in stock order it online. What the hell do ya think we do in the back? You act like we fu-kn' hand stitch shit in the back with our li'l sewing kit. Get yo' punk ass outta my store. Ass hole."

The customer slammed his hands on the counter "Who the hell is _your_ manager?"

The black man's eyes grew bigger, "Last time I checked it was me. And if you wanna know where to file a complaint against me it would be right 'ere…wif me! And the last time I filed a complaint against me it didn't last long in da system. But lemme tell ya, the District Manager is a hard ass let me give ya his name...Oh wait that won't help ya because it's me! Damn I sure am impressive. Now get your PUNK…ASS out of my store! Good day sir!" The customer turned abruptly and hurried out.

"Hey Spiky get out 'ere now!" The associate walked from the stock room to the floor.

They manager threw something at him, "Next time wear it. I don't want a customer goin' around talkin' shit about a nameless associate."

The blonde man took his nametag and attached it to his shirt, "I didn't think you cared about customer service Barret?"

The man snorted, "I don't give a fuuuuk about anything, shit. Hurry yo' ass up, we got a new shipment of men's pants." He smiled at his associate.

The associate straightened up his nametag. Spiky, what a stupid thing to put on a nametag but he didn't care because he just needed the money. Ever since Soldier fell he hasn't been able to get a job. He popped into a fitting room to check his badge. The assistant manager told him that Barret didn't want to wait for him to fill out his paper work to get the proper name on his badge and the only thing he could remember was the spiky hair.

No matter the nametag he will always be Cloud.

Ok new story. Quite different but I like the idea of retail since I know how interesting it can get with customers. Barret is actually modeled after my old Store Manager…he was super awesome. Anyway this is more of a story that instead of a bar it is a retail store. Enjoy! Those who work retail that read this will be nodding their heads because of the customer interactions. Crazy people are out there..Beware.

Please review! I need ideas. I would really like to use reader's ideas to make a story that everyone will love! Any feedback is appreciated! Rough beginning but I will assure you that it will be better!

Jazzybutclassy28


	2. Snatching the Kolaches

Chapter 2

7th Heaven. The store that was one of the biggest hits in the Midgar slums. It was beyond what most stores sold. The store was not high in volume but it carried products that were of better quality. It was a men and women clothing store including underwear. Can't forget the underwear. There was also a small section for kid's clothing as well which was a huge hit. The women section was to the right and the men to the left. The kid's was kind of lingering behind the woman's section. The walls were a light and dark tan and the floors were some type of brown wood. It definitely looked like it belonged in the slums. It was a tight fit because the women and men rounders were so close together it was sometimes difficult to even shop.

Cloud walked into the store the next day ready for work. Tifa, the assistant manager, was behind the register counting the till for opening. She looked up and smiled at him.

"Good morning Cloud. I hope you are ready to work hard." He saw her put her head back down and returned shuffling through the money. He went back in the stock room to set his things down. Barret was talking loudly in the office for his booming voice sent vibrations through the floor. Even with the door closed it was easy to hear his conversations. Cloud set his bag on the table and returned to the sales floor to find Tifa shutting the last register. Quickly he entered in his information to clock in and turned towards Tifa. She was writing stuff down on a clipboard to log the number goals of the day. His blue eyes glanced over her, same as he remembered. She was wearing black dress slacks that were tapered very nicely to her curves. A white tank top adorned her shoulders as her chest strained against the fabric, but Cloud wasn't complaining.

"Today's goal is going to be two-thousand and seven hundred gil. Our UPT (Items/units per transaction/ customer) needs to be at least a 3. I'm hoping for a good day. The weather is nice enough for decent business." There she goes again with the weather. The five years that separated them put a strain on their friendship. These days it's hard to get a real conversation going without commenting on the weather. The stock room door slammed to announce Barret's emergence from the office.

"Maybe you shouldn't slam the doors Barret; you know we can't afford another one." Tifa playful chimed as she put on her nametag which read 'Tita'

"Look 'ere," he paused when Tifa waved her finger at him. "Barret you know I am immune to your insults."

The named man repeated in a high, crackling, booming voice, "Barret you know I am immune to your insults." Cloud couldn't hold back his laugh

"Jus' unlock the door already. Game Time!" He walked back into the back

Cloud was recovering from his laughter as Tifa walked around to make sure the store was perfect. Barret returned from the back and walked out the front door without a word. Cloud looked confused.

"He does that often. He will be back. He's getting breakfast for us." Cloud nodded his head. The door chimed as the first customer of the day entered. She was an elderly woman about eighty years old. Cloud approached her with a smile, "Hello welcome to 7th Heaven. What can I help you find today?"

"Well I'm looking for crotch less panties. Do you have any?" And so another day begins.

An hour after that customer the normal flow started. Sane people came and went as they browsed the selection, which is pretty much what they did always. It was hard to make decent sales since the slums wasn't known for wealthy families like the upper plate was. Every now and then someone would by a pair of pants or even a shirt to go with those pants. Cloud would get hopeless at times working here because week days were usually dead…like today.

"So…where exactly is Barret?" Cloud plainly asked Tifa who was working on refolding the denim wall

Tifa stopped to answer, "It takes him awhile to get breakfast, it really does. You will get use to it. Barret is the kind of person who beats his own drum even though its broken…he just doesn't know it and refuses to listen when we try and tell him." Cloud watched her smile again. The front door flew open and Barret walked in, "Got us some kolaches!"

"About time don't you think?"

Barret stopped in the middle of the store, "Ma, do you know how hard it is to get my hands on these hoes?"

Tifa grabbed the box from Barret, "Nobody asked you to get them in the first place." Barret's face dropped as he looked at her, "Ya' know I don't like you right? And don't ever snatch a man's kolaches from him again." He took the box back and went to the stock room.

"He really does give you a hard time huh?" Cloud asked

Tifa swirled her head around as her hair followed, "Yeah but I know he can't do it alone." She followed Barret to the back.

The door chimed as a girl walked into the store. Cloud mouthed a cuss word as he turned around and forced a smile, "Hello welcome. How may I assist you today?" The girl looked at him with emerald eyes.

Barret and Tifa were fighting over who gets which kolache, "I'm the Store Manager I get first dibs!"

"And apparently you are the District Manager, the Area Manager, the entire staff of HR, and the company CEO. Frankly I don't care if you are my own dad you are not getting that kolache over in the far left corner." Barret gave her a 'get off the crack' look and she took her chance to dive at the kolache.

He picked up the box and dropped it in front of her and backed up as if it was on fire, "Alright Ma here have 'em all just don't take my good arm off in the process." She handed him one of them and took the box to the corner and greedily munched on them. He looked at his kolache as if inspecting it and turned around to walk into the office but an annoying metal fold up chair tripped him and caused him to drop his kolache in the seat, "Even the damn metal ass holder wants my food." He snatched it from the chair and kicked it hard and then fronted it while growling, "Yeah you won't take my kolache again punk ass." Tifa watched his conversation with the chair in amusement. He walked off into the office mumbling about the 'stupid chair' and slammed the door.

The bright eyes girl continued to chat with Cloud, "Well I've heard so much about this store and I was just wondering if maybe I could get a job here." Cloud took in the woman before him. She was wearing a pink dress with a red jean jacket. Her long chestnut hair followed her like a train. Her light skin showed her youth. He was astonished that someone so innocent looking was here in the slums…looking for a job.

"Let me get my manager. Just a sec." Cloud rushed to the back

"Barret, there is a girl out there wanting a job. Barret?" Cloud looked at Tifa who was in the corner. When she saw him look at her she held the kolaches close to her and pointed at the office. Cloud put his hands up as if he was being arrested and slowly eased past the strange woman to the office. Cloud banged on the door. Barret looked cockeyed at Cloud, "Didn't you say you needed more help?" Cloud decided to explain why he was able to read Barret's mind, "I could hear you on the phone this morning. Go out there and see." Barret shrugged and took his kolache with him. Ten minutes later he walked back and nodded. She was right behind him.

"Everyone this is Aeris. She is our new associate." Barret walked over to Tifa in the corner and reached for a kolache but was blocked by a hand. He slapped that hand and tried again. Each time he tried she blocked him. He slapped the hand that blocked him for the final time, "Get outta here with that." She held up the box for him to take while admitting defeat. He successfully grabbed the box and handed a kolache to Aeris, "Welcome to the crew."

She looked at it strangely. Barret shook it once and glared at her. When she didn't take it he began to repeatedly shake it, "If you don't take it he will get mad. It isn't every day that he gives up his food for people." Aeris nodded her head and gladly accept it…finally.

"So do I need to fill out paper work?" Barret shifted his eyes to her

"Fu-k paperwork. I don't keep up with that shit." Another chime was heard

"Not it!" Tifa cried which was shortly followed by Cloud repeating her words

They both smirked at Aeris, "Looks like you're it flower girl." Cloud playfully announced

Barret stopped chewing and looked up, "Flower girl…I like it."

Cloud leaned into Tifa, "That's going on her nametag."

Ok Chapter 2. It's a work in progress that's for sure. I will definitely be re-writing it but I'm ready just to hurry up and get the story out. More to come along with my other story updates!


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